Candidate vows to listen to community if he is elected

Published: Tuesday, April 2, 2013 9:06 a.m. CDT

By: Stewart “Stu” Hipes - District 101 Board Candidate

The “Meet the Candidates” night that was cancelled in late March due to scheduling conflicts with Morris High School would have been a great opportunity to explain what compels me to run for the Morris Community High School District 101 School Board. I, therefore, want to take this time to introduce myself to the community.

My family and I have lived in Morris for nearly 16-years. Morris Community High School holds a special place in the community and is a positive institution with many years of successful academic excellence in education and athletics.

I want MCHS to continue to excel and standout for many years to come. Selfish as it may seem, I want to be part of this winning team and serve on the District 101 School Board. I know that this is a volunteer position, but I am willing to sacrifice my time and energy to make District 101 successful and connected with the community.

I represent a taxpayer, member of the community, and parent. As a taxpayer, we need to track and report every dime spent and determine if it was spent wisely. The local taxpayers want us to make smart decisions with the money given to the district. We are obligated to be financially responsible and sound-minded when it comes to making these decisions.

As a member of the community, we need to have open discussions with the public and communicate concerns and issues. Our decisions, no matter how great or small, should have the backing of the community.

I would welcome more open meeting sessions and opportunities similar to the shared transportation meetings that were held over the last few months with the public on major topics of discussion. These meetings educated the public and helped give the community a chance to voice their opinions and concerns with the board.

As a parent, I want what is best for my children and understand what is fair and within reason. Over the next 10 years, as my oldest child starts in the fall and my youngest will graduate in 2023, my three children will be attending MCHS. Since I will be at the school for a variety of reasons, why not serve the district with my time and energy.

I want to maintain the policies and practices that put safety and education of our children first.
I am not afraid to say that I don’t know the answers to all the questions. However, I will listen to the voice of the community and experienced board members, parents, and faculty when making decisions.

Together we can make sure the district and the community stay connected with one another.
Thank you for your support.